Bicycle accidents can have devastating effects on victims. The size disparity between a car and a bicycle means that cyclists often suffer catastrophic injuries with life-altering consequences, particularly because they lack many safety features other vehicle occupants have. Medical bills and lost income can quickly become staggering.

Unfortunately, recovering fair compensation after a bicycle accident is not always easy. It is not in your best interest to pursue payment for your injuries and damages on your own, since most people lack experience with insurance claims and related legal matters – unlike attorneys who deal with these matters every day. Contact the law firm of Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman for help.

When you work with a New Jersey bicycle accident lawyer at our firm, you are working with a professional who values you as a person, not just a case number. We know you have unique concerns and needs, which is why we will take the time to get to know you and your situation. That way, we are better able to advocate on your behalf.

Our personal injury lawyers have been representing injured people in New Jersey since 1929. Over the almost one hundred years since the firm was founded, we have built a reputation for vigorously fighting for our clients’ rights and securing them the compensation they deserve.

Find out how a New Jersey bicycle accident lawyer from our firm can help you by contacting us today for a free consultation.

How Our New Jersey Law Firm Helps People Hurt on Bicycles

If you are hurt in a New Jersey bicycle accident, you may not know where to turn for help. Bicycle accidents are much different from accidents involving two cars. Injuries tend to be more severe, the claim process can be more complicated, and it may be challenging to recover the compensation you deserve.

After a bicycle collision in New Jersey, get in touch with an experienced and knowledgeable attorney for help. Our attorneys can assess your situation, giving you valuable advice about your legal rights and options for pursuing compensation. If you decide to pursue a claim, we can investigate the cause of the accident and begin building a case that demonstrates who was at fault, why they should have to compensate you, and for how much.

Our New Jersey bicycle accident lawyers can also handle all communication between you and the insurer and negotiate on your behalf. While you recover from your injuries, your attorney will aggressively advocate for your rights and proactively manage your claim.

Insurance companies usually try to minimize claims to reduce what they must pay out or avoid liability altogether. When this happens, our attorneys can fight back and where necessary will prepare your case for trial, putting pressure on the insurer to get serious about negotiations or risk a court battle.

The personal injury lawyers at Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman have been helping injured people in New Jersey since the firm was founded in 1929. Over the past 10 decades, we have successfully secured hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for thousands of clients. Let us put this extensive experience and track record to work for you.

Do You Have a Bicycle Accident Claim?

The only way to know definitively whether you have a bicycle accident claim is to discuss your case with an attorney. Generally speaking, you could have a claim if you would not have been injured but for another party’s negligent behavior. Negligence, in this sense, is most often a driver’s failure to take reasonable care or caution while operating their vehicle.

Examples of negligence include texting while driving, failing to give bicyclists enough space when sharing the road with them, and generally violating the rules of the road.

Crashes can happen quickly, and you may not be able to judge accurately how the collision occurred. Similarly, your injuries may have been so severe that you simply cannot recall the events leading up to the crash. That is when it is particularly important to discuss your situation with our attorneys. We have the experience and resources to investigate an accident and determine if the driver was at fault.

Main Causes and Types of Bike Crashes in New Jersey

Driver negligence is the most common cause of crashes involving cars and bicycles in New Jersey. Motorists who fail to pay attention to their surroundings put themselves and everyone around them at risk, particularly road users who don’t have the benefit of a vehicle’s size, enclosure, and safety features.

A wide range of actions can fall under the negligence umbrella, including:

• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Drowsy driving
• Aggressive driving
• Speeding
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Failing to yield
• Crowding a bike lane
• Disregarding posted signs and signals

Inclement weather conditions and poor visibility can contribute to bicycle accidents on New Jersey roadways as well. Motorists and cyclists alike are expected to take extra care under adverse circumstances.

Bicycle accidents can be grouped into several common types, including:

• Dooring accidents
• Rear-end collisions
• Wrong-way accidents
• Left-cross collisions
• Right-hook collisions
• Passing and overtaking accidents
• Uncontrolled intersection crashes
• Road rage incidents

Eliminating distractions and obeying the rules of the road can prevent a significant portion of serious bicycle and car collisions.

Determining Liability for a Bike Accident

A successful insurance claim or lawsuit rests on establishing the other party’s liability, or their legal responsibility for compensating an injured person for their losses. When a case goes to trial, a jury will decide how much blame each party bears for causing the collision and factor that into the reward of any compensation.

For example, if a bicyclist is found to be 10 percent to blame, their compensation would be reduced by 10 percent to account for their contribution to their injuries. In New Jersey, a claimant found to be more than 50 percent at fault for a crash cannot recover damages for their injuries.

The stronger your evidence of the other party’s negligence, the greater their portion of fault, and the more compensation you can receive. Evidence that may be crucial to your claim can include:

• Medical records
• Police reports
• Photographs of the damage and scene
• Dashcam videos or surveillance videos of the crash
• Cellphone records
• Witness statements
• Testimony from accident reconstruction experts

Some of this evidence can be difficult to obtain on your own, which is one of the ways you could benefit by securing help from an experienced attorney.

State Laws on Sharing the Road with Bicyclists

New Jersey defines bicycles as any mode of transportation with a seat of at least 26 inches, two wheels, and solely powered by a person. The state also recently updated the statutes to include low-speed electric bicycles in this definition. The state dictates that all bicycles must be equipped with the following:

• Front and rear lights for nighttime use
• Audible signal like a bell
• Brakes

New Jersey law also stipulates that any cyclist under 17 years of age must wear a helmet, including passengers. “Hitching,” or grabbing onto other vehicles, is prohibited, and all cyclists must obey traffic laws. Cyclists must follow all posted signs and signals, yield when necessary, follow the traffic flow, and communicate their intentions with drivers on the road through audible or hand signals.

Severe Injuries New Jersey Cyclists Suffer in Crashes and Potential Compensation

Cyclists are highly vulnerable to significant injuries because they have little physical protection. Cars can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, while trucks and SUVs are even more massive. These vehicles can cause extensive trauma when they collide with a cyclist, resulting in injuries like:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis
• Amputations
• Facial injuries
• Broken bones
• Road rash
• Burns
• Organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Soft tissue damage
• Contusions
• Lacerations

Treating severe injuries can be expensive and time-consuming. You may be out of work and quickly find yourself in dire financial straits. If a negligent motorist caused the accident, you might be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Diminished quality of life
• Out-of-pocket expenses